Saturday, February 20, 2016

Heeeath!

I woke up this morning to some disturbing news: Heath Miller, long-time star Tight End for the Pittsburgh Steelers, announced his retirement. To understand why this is disturbing to me is to try to explain a cultural shift in the landscape of sports.

Sports, especially at the professional level, have become entertainment to a ridiculous degree. It used to be sport; athletic events between individuals or teams where the meaning of sportsmanship took center stage. At the team level, unselfish cooperation for the good of the team to achieve victory was paramount. In recent years, over the past few decades, it seems that teamwork is not the priority for most players, and individual achievement is more important. I'm not sure when exactly that changed, but it has diminished sports and destroyed much of the character that was so integral to athletic contests.

One of the last great unselfish players for the Steelers, Heath Miller achieved a great number of accomplishments, holding numerous receiving records for the team, and he did it without drawing any national attention. He did his job, and did it well, without the notoriety others in the National Football League received because they were flashier, more out-spoken, or played in larger markets. In a sport where popularity is fueled by image, Heath Miller was boring. And that's why he was so loved by the city that adopted him: Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh loves its athletes who don't act selfish, who put team before ego, and act like they've been there and done that before, players who show character and who do their jobs without complaint. Heath Miller fit this mold to a T. And that's why the fans loved him, and why there is such an outpouring of emotion over his announcement to retire. He was one of only four active Steelers from the last two Super Bowl teams, and while Ben Roethlisberger and James Harrison may be bigger names, Heath Miller will always be loved by his adoptive city because he never drew attention to himself. He was a good dude.

I have several Steelers jerseys: a black Big Ben #7, a yellow and a black Troy Polamalu #43, an old black Jack Lambert #58, and a white Heath Miller #83. I never wear the #7 because of the poor image and notoriety of Ben, the individual. I received it as a gift, but I couldn't support him after the character issues that surrounded him over his treatment of women. He's married and a family man now, and I hope he's changed, but it hasn't made him well liked. Troy was possibly one of the greatest players who ever played for the Steelers. Jack Lambert was a tough guy who played on the great Super Steeler's teams of the 70s. But it was Heath who showed the high character and integrity that made him so beloved to his fans. And I'll be proud to always wear it.

His desire to retire after 11 years of playing was mostly due to his family, and I respect him even more to step away from the game and devote his time to his kids. He leaves behind a great void. There's no one who can replace him. And it remains to be seen if the fans will still yell Heeeeath after a tight end makes a catch for the Steelers. It won't be Heath, unfortunately. Well done, Mr. Miller. Best wishes on your retirement.

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Favorite Quotations

Matthew 16:23 - "But he turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.'"

Isaiah 41:10 - "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

1 Peter 5:10 - "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast."

1 Thessalonians 4:13 - "But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope."

Titus 2:7-8 - "In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us."

John 15:13 - "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

Joshua 24:15 - "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

James 1:2-4 - "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Philippians 4:8 - "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

Luke 2:14 - "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

"Don't judge a man by where he is, because you don't know how far he has come." - C.S. Lewis

"Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence." - George Washington

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." - Albert Einstein

"You don't lead by hitting people over the head -- that's assault, not leadership." -- Dwight D. Eisenhower

"The future starts today, not tomorrow." -- Pope John Paul II

"No man is a failure who has friends." - Clarence the Angel, IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE

"Please watch out for each other and love and forgive everybody. It's a good life; enjoy it." - Jim Henson